| Hardware Requirements: | | | | compass, point the dish at a compass bearing you |
| I am assuming that you have the necessary | | | | have (150 in my case). You will not get it right |
| equipment as detailed in my previous article about | | | | first time, but the closer you are, the less danger |
| 'How to get the equipment to watch English TV in | | | | of finding the wrong satellite there is. |
| Europe'. | | | | Getting it all working |
| You need: | | | | Now, connect the dish to the box an the box to |
| - A TV (preferably one with a SCART socket) | | | | the TV and switch on the power. |
| - An ex-rental Sky Digibox that has already been | | | | Warning: The dish cable carries a small electric |
| used in the UK | | | | current, so never connect or disconnect it while |
| - A dish of the appropriate size (see my earlier | | | | the box is live; otherwise some of the electronic |
| article and for a size guide) with LNB | | | | components could be damaged |
| - Co-ax cable | | | | Do not worry if the remote control does not |
| - A Sky viewing card or Freeview card | | | | react immediately - after switching on the power |
| - Necessary fixings to mount the dish | | | | the Digibox can take several seconds before it will |
| Mounting the dish | | | | respond. On the remote control, press Services, |
| The satellite we are looking for is Astra 2D 28.2E. | | | | then press 4, then 6. This will display a Signal Test |
| This located at 28.2 degrees East of South. Let | | | | screen. Ignore the Signal Strength and Signal |
| me tell you why setting up the angle and | | | | Quality bars for the moment. You should however |
| elevation is very important and has to be done | | | | have something in the Signal Strength bar. (If you |
| very carefully. Astra 2D is in a geostationary | | | | do not, you have a faulty connection on the way |
| orbit, which means it appears to be stationary | | | | to the LNB). |
| when seen from the rotating earth.. The normal | | | | Place the TV where it can be seen while |
| height for a geostationary satellite is 36,000Km | | | | manipulating the dish, move the dish until the |
| and the satellite is only 8m tall and just over 2m | | | | zeros change to 0002 (Network ID) and 07d4 |
| diameter, it actually looks like a tin of baked beans | | | | (Transport Stream). The change will be quite |
| with the lid open! So the alignment of the dish has | | | | sudden so go carefully to avoid swinging the dish |
| to be done very accurately. | | | | too far. The Lock Indicator will also change from |
| I cannot help you too much with the exact angles | | | | 'Not locked' to 'OK'. The value of 07d4 is usually |
| you need as they vary depending on your | | | | the case but you might encounter others, |
| location. Here in the Southern French Alps a | | | | particularly if you are trying to get a signal in |
| compass bearing of 150 degrees with an elevation | | | | southern Europe. However the Network ID must |
| of 34 degrees are the figures required. In | | | | be 0002, otherwise you are pointing at the wrong |
| Bucharest in Romania a bearing of 177 degrees | | | | satellite. |
| and an elevation of 39 degrees would be required. | | | | Finishing off the setup |
| Looking on the internet, particularly on ex pat | | | | As soon as the Network ID and Transport |
| web sites for your area, will normally reveal the | | | | Stream values change from zero, a digital signal is |
| magic numbers. | | | | being received. Clamp the dish, then press the |
| So mount your dish where you like, it does not | | | | Backup button on the remote control 3 times to |
| need to be on the roof as it does not work like | | | | return to the normal screen. Now wait until the |
| an aerial. It just needs a clear path between it and | | | | box has finished getting the program data. |
| the satellite, no trees or buildings. The steepness | | | | If after aligning the dish, you get a signal but |
| of the angle surprises a lot of people, in the type | | | | there is interference on sound or vision, it is |
| of dish where the LNB is supported on an arm | | | | almost certainly caused by the dish elevation or |
| attached to the bottom of the dish, the 'beam' | | | | direction being slightly out of alignment. Move the |
| angle we are interested in is roughly parallel to | | | | dish very slightly and carefully and watch the |
| that arm. Set the elevation to the correct value | | | | Signal Quality bar on the Signal Test screen for |
| and leave the bracket slightly loose so that you | | | | the greatest value. Anything over about 50% |
| can turn the dish from side to side. Using a | | | | should give good reception. |